WELLINGTON, Oct 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported no new cases of COVID-19 today, both at the border and in the community.
“This result is particularly pleasing, as it includes the test results that we have, back from three close contacts of the case we reported yesterday. That’s his one workplace contact and two of his household contacts,” according to the Ministry of Health.
A new community case of COVID-19 was reported in New Zealand yesterday. This case is a man working on ships at the Ports of Auckland and the Port of Taranaki, said a ministry statement.
Routine testing and other stringent measures for border workers have been in place for about two months, as the border is an area of risk for more cases of COVID-19 to emerge, it said.
“We continue to investigate the source of this man’s infection – we believe the most likely source of the man’s infection is a ship he worked on in Auckland,” it said, adding, the person carried out some work on the ship on Oct 13, wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
Genome sequencing from this case has been completed, and it fits with the scenario that this case is a “border incursion” case, rather than being a community case of unknown origin, and it is not linked to any existing New Zealand cases, according to the ministry.
New Zealand’s total number of confirmed cases remains at 1,530. Five previously-reported cases are now considered to have recovered, bringing the country’s total number of active cases to 37, it said.– NNN-AGENCIES
